A Light in the Darkness
by Stelena-Beautiful
Summary: Its the darkest night of Maxie Jones's life when she runs into Cole Thornhart - literally. A Cole and Maxie fan fiction. If crackships can be OTPs, then Cole/Maxie are definitely one of mine!
1. Preface and Chapter 1

_**A Cole Thornhart and Maxie Jones story. I started writing this in March of 2012 so it's a lot different than what we saw play out on the "real" GH. Anyway, I hope you like this. Feedback is very appreciated!**_

**Preface**

_**Late October 2012**_

He had come so far to find her. And there she was. Oh yes indeed; there she was. Not even eight months later, locked in another man's embrace. His blood boiled and his first impulse was to dash right inside the house and beat the living hell out of the other guy. Normally he would have given into his impulse but right then self-preservation meant more. Plus, he was in no condition to pummel some guy. He was still on crutches having only recently learned how to walk again. He was in no way going to be able to take on some guy twice his size.

But he was hurt. So hurt. And angry. He punched the wall as hard as he could and then turned and began to hobble away. He didn't know where he was going but anywhere was better than here - watching the only woman he had ever loved in the arms of someone else.

XoXoXo

Tears streamed shamefully down her face as she climbed into her car and gunned the engine. She could barely see two feet in front of her with her eyes so clouded over but she was not going to stay here. Catching her lover with another woman, a woman she hated more than life itself, and learning that it had been going on for months and worse, that the other woman was pregnant with his child, she knew that she was definitely not going to stick around and get kicked in the teeth again. She was going to drive away so far and so fast that no one would ever find her. Not that she really believed that anyone but her dad would bother looking for her. No one else cared enough about her. Everyone always left her and tonight was more than proof of that.

XoXoXo

_He was crossing the street, hurrying to his car, a cloud of fury, rage and pain blanketing his consciousness. He was so preoccupied with his own thoughts that he didn't even see the car until it was just a mere ten feet away. He felt it lift him off the ground and hurl him through the air right before impact hit; right before darkness itself washed over him …_

* * *

**Chapter 1**

She had been so blinded by tears that she never saw it coming. It was only when she heard a sickening crunching sound that she realized she had hit something. Or someone. The thought made her sick inside. What else could possibly go wrong tonight?

She halted the car for a second and looked around. She didn't see anything at first. Then she spotted a tangled body – yes, a body! – lying on the side of the road. Her first instinct was to drive out of there like she had never come down this street in the first place but she realized she couldn't just leave them there. She wasn't that evil of a person, was she? Plus, she was the daughter of a cop. She knew this could be traced back to her somehow and then she'd go down as a hit and run murderer or something and God knew what they did to women like her in prison …

"Shit," she said as she put on the brakes and reached for her purse on the seat beside her. She fumbled with the zipper as she realized her hands were shaking so badly. Finally, she managed to steady them enough to free her cell phone. She immediately dialed 911.

"911. What's your emergency?" A gruff, possibly feminine voice asked.

She sighed as another tear escaped her eye. "I think I killed someone." She groaned. "Wait. That came out wrong. I may have run someone over though …"

XoXoXo

The dispatcher asked Maxie to stay on the line but after she gave directions, she didn't see why she should. She wanted to get the hell out of there. And yet …

She was oddly curious to see if whomever she had hit was actually still, somehow, alive. Curiosity, cats, all that… She sighed and pushed open the door, lifting a slender leg out even as she wondered why she was doing this. She should stay far away from any bloodshed in these designer threads she was wearing.

She stepped out of her car and moved towards the side of the road where the body was lying. At first she couldn't see much, other than two crutches lying at odd angles in the grass. She bit her lip as she edged closer and could now see that it was a guy. "Hey, uh, are you alive?" she asked. There was no response.

"Shit, I killed someone. I can't believe I actually killed someone!" she cried out as she began to turn and walk away. But just then she heard what sounded like life. He was trying to clear his throat.

She whipped around. "Oh my god!" she screamed as his eyelids hovered at half-mast and he struggled to move. "Did I paralyze you?" she asked frantically, thinking of shaking him fully awake but realizing that she would have to touch him to do that. And it might, in hindsight, cause more damage than good. She had to learn not to be so reactionary, as Mac would say.

He groaned loudly and she began to pace. "I am really sorry about this. I didn't mean to hit you. But who just walks across a dark road in the middle of the night without … Okay, okay it was my fault entirely but … Well maybe not. You weren't at a crosswalk, were you? You were jaywalking. A-ha! You can't hold that against me, now can you? Oh god …"

He moaned and she sighed. "Okay I'm going back to the car now."

"Hope…" He finally ground out between his lips. "Hope…"

"Yes, you hope you're going to be okay. So do I. Do you think I need to be known as the town killer? I mean, sure Jason Morgan already has that title but people will look at me sideways, wondering when I'll drive them down next. Not that it matters. I am leaving town anyway because-"

"HOPE!" He finally screamed out in indigence. "HOPE!"

"Okay, Jesus … Temperamental, much?" she asked and just then heard the squeal of tires and the sounds of sirens.

"Help is here," she said. "You're going to be just fine. And remember, this was so not my fault…."

An ambulance arrived and parked on the shoulder of the road. Two able-bodied young male paramedics hopped out and Maxie directed them to the body. Next, a cop car pulled up and she prayed it wasn't one of the cops that she knew well.

"No such luck," she murmured. "Dammit." Mac Scorpio began jogging over to her.

"Maxie, what the hell happened?" Were his first words to her.

Maxie sighed. "Well hello to you too, Dad."

"Maxie …"

"I was just driving along, minding my own business, when this guy comes out of nowhere …" She looked over at said guy. He was being loaded onto a stretcher and still murmuring the word or the name "Hope". She turned back to Mac. "It was a complete accident, I am serious."

"You better hope so, Maxie," Mac said. "I really don't want you going down for vehicular manslaughter."

Maxie's bones immediately chilled. She so did not need to hear this right now. "Manslaughter? I don't think so!" she snapped. "It was an accident. As soon as this guy comes around, he will tell you that."

"If he comes around," Mac said somberly and Maxie rolled her eyes. She was surprised though when Mac suddenly pulled her into his arms and gave her a tight hug. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Tears moistened her eyes anew. "Yeah… I mean, I could have killed a guy but …" She wasn't going to tell him about Matt and the other woman now. "It's just … Well, thanks for the hug."

XoXoXo

Mac surveyed the damage and then told Maxie that she needed to head home and stay there, as if he sensed somehow that she was ready to flee town for good. She understood then that she wasn't free and clear on hitting this guy. Even if it had been an accident …

He tucked her back into her severely damaged Lexus and told her to drive home safely. She nodded even though she had no intention of going home right now. No, she had things to do, people to see …


	2. Chapter 2

_***The first scene with Jason is just for a little levity before the angst really starts anew. Enjoy ... or not lol***_

**Chapter 2**

A manic pounding on the door at after three a.m. could only mean one thing – bad news. In his line of work, he should have been more equipped to deal with interruptions like this but it never got less annoying. Now that he was a father again, he was a hundred times more aware of the dangers his life and his job, presented to his infant son. He heard Sam stir beside him and he whispered to her, "Stay up here."

Sam murmured something that sounded like agreement and then crawled out of bed at the same time as him. However, she went for the baby in the bassinet and he went for his gun in the top drawer of his dresser. He moved hurriedly down the hall then, meeting Spinelli halfway. Spinelli, who sleepily rubbed his eyes. "Who could that be at this tragically early hour?" The man-child asked.

Jason shook his head. "I don't know but I'm going to find out. Stay up here with Sam and Danny."

Spinelli nodded. "The Jackal will do his utmost to protect the Goddess and the Precious One."

Jason just shook his head and descended the stairs slowly, stealthily and methodically. He kept the gun trained out in front of him as he reached the bottom step and then aimed it at the door. "Who's there?" he demanded.

He heard a loud sniffling and cocked his head. "Who's there?" he repeated.

"It's Maxie! Can you open the damn door, Jason?" she bellowed.

Jason rolled his eyes and put his gun down at his side before unlatching and opening the door. Maxie's eyes bugged out when she saw the pistol at his hip. "Ohmigod. You weren't seriously going to shoot me?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Maxie, it's after three in the morning," he said pointedly. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Maxie's big blue eyes filled with fresh tears and Jason shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"I need to see Spinelli right now. And Sam too if she's not too busy with my god-son."

"You're not his godmother. Kristina is."

"I should have been his godmother," Maxie cried. "Kristina was already a blood relation. Don't think that doesn't still bother the shit out of me and –" She broke off as she saw Spinelli coming down the stairs, shuffling in that awkward way of his.

"Maximista, what brings you by at this time of the night?" Spinelli asked and received no reply other than Maxie hurling herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing into his gently sloping shoulder.

Jason rolled his eyes as he heard Danny begin to cry upstairs in time with Maxie. He shook his head, shot Spinelli and Maxie a warning glance, and hurried up the stairs.

XoXoXo

Maxie continued crying loudly and vehemently so Spinelli had no recourse but to pull her into his arms as he dropped down on the sofa. Maxie immediately responded by tightening her grip on him. "I need you, Spinelli, I need you so much," she moaned.

"Maxismista, talk to me. What seems to be the matter?"

"What's the matter?" Maxie echoed. "Everything! Absolutely everything, Spinelli! I found Matt with Elizabeth Webber tonight. He confessed they have been sneaking around together for months and she's – she's pregnant!"

"Oh dear …"

"Yes. I know. But it gets much worse," Maxie sniffled. "I sort of, possibly, may have killed someone tonight. If he doesn't live, I'm going to be a murderer – again."

Spinelli's eyes bugged out. "What – how – WHAT?!"

"I was so upset when I left Matt's place that I never saw the guy coming. I mean, I – it was so dark and – Oh god, Spinelli, am I going down for vehicular manslaughter as my dad put it? I already killed Robin and I was ready to go to prison then but now I know I couldn't survive it. I know I wouldn't last a second and -"

Spinelli held up a hand. "It was an accident. I am sure the commissioner and whoever else investigates this will come to that conclusion."

"I wish I could be sure of that," Maxie said. "But honestly, that doesn't make me feel better. The guy was already on crutches I guess. He couldn't have been in perfect health to begin with."

"Maybe we should say a little prayer or –"

"Screw prayers, Spinelli!" Maxie said. "I gave that shit up years ago when my cousin died and I got her heart for no damn good reason." She sighed. "But seriously, the most pressing issue here is what to do about Matt and Elizabeth."

"There is nothing to do," Spinelli said. "As cruel as it was for them to go behind your back like that –"

Maxie shook her head. "Don't tell me I can't do anything. I have to get them back somehow. They can't get away with what they've done. I will get Elizabeth fired again for starters and as for Matt, I will make him so jealous he will forget all about Nurse Homewrecker." She looked up at Spinelli. "You have to help me with that, Spinelli."

Spinelli's perpetually pink face drained of color. "No, Maximista. No."

Maxie's hand fisted in his pajama top. "Please, Spinelli. You have to help me. I can't get through this without you."

"Maximista, please do not pull me into anymore of your schemes. They always blow up in our faces and besides, you know how hard I am trying to make things work with Winifred. I beg of you not to try to pull me back in because I am weak when it comes to you. I can't often say 'no' to you."

"Then don't," Maxie said and softly kissed Spinelli's jaw line. "Just give in. We'll make Matt so jealous that –"

Maxie felt Spinelli stiffen in her arms and then in the next moment, he was pulling far away from her, moving clear across the sofa. "Spinelli –"

"Don't ask me to do it, Maxie," he said. "I know you are currently suffering through a crisis but you always manage to come out mostly unscathed. It is I, the Jackal, who pays the most when you turn around and walk back to Dr. Doom."

"Spinelli, you have to understand –"

"I do not. I never understood why I was good enough to be your partner in crime but not the man in your heart. Now I have Winifred back in my life and I am not about to let her go. Not for a farce."

Maxie's eyes flashed. "A farce? Are you seriously going to call this-"

"It is what it is."

Maxie started to shout at Spinelli but Sam was suddenly coming down the stairs. "Hey, hey, what the hell is going on here?"

Maxie stood and hurried towards the door. "Nothing, absolutely nothing!" she thundered and then hurried out of the penthouse.

XoXoXo

She was half-sobbing again as she road down in the elevator. Spinelli not wanting to help her, seemingly not even wanting anything to do with her, was a crushing blow. She really should leave town like she had planned hours ago before she ran down the jaywalker. And he had been jaywalking in her mind. But she knew that if she ran, she would be found. She would have to pay the consequences in the end.

She reached the parking lot soon enough and climbed back into her mangled vehicle. She rested her head against the driver's seat and cried for what seemed like hours but in reality was probably only fifteen minutes. She cried until she was out of tears and then she realized she needed to damage control. Her next stop was the hospital.


	3. Chapter 3

_**The only way I will know if I am doing alright or even if I'm on the right track with my stories is for at least some of my readers to leave feedback. Please help me keep motivated to continue my fictions by telling me what you think of them, including this one. Thank you!**_

**Chapter 3**

She pulled her still mangled car up in front of the hospital and took a long, deep breath before climbing out. Morning light was beginning to just crest on the horizon and she realized with a jolt that it had been literally hours since she had caught Matt and the Homewrecker together. Hours since she had run out of there like hell itself was on her heels and driven down some poor unfortunate guy on crutches. Her life had been forever changed tonight in ways she couldn't even begin to comprehend, in ways she couldn't begin to foresee.

She opened her purse and pulled out her compact. God, she looked like hell ran over. _No, don't think about running things or people over, _she chided herself. She did look like hell though. Her hair was unnaturally frizzy and mussed and her makeup was smeared from cheek to cheek. She quickly took a tissue out of her purse and began cleaning off all of her makeup. She would have to go _au natural_ for the moment though she firmly believed a woman shouldn't leave her house without at least foundation... Oh well, she didn't have time to reapply it and besides, she would look as devastated and wary as she felt. Just what she was going for.

She finally closed her purse and walked towards the entrance of GH. She rode up in the elevator to the sixth floor and then stepped off of it. She spotted Nurse Regina what's-her-name standing at the Nurse's Station talking on the phone and she moved over to the mocha-skinned woman. Regina held up a hand before Maxie could speak and Maxie fumed. "Excuse you, I need some assistance here," she said and Regina finally hung up the phone.

"Are you hurt? Injured?"

"Not physically but –"

"Well as you can see we are very busy here this morning so-" She broke off as she gestured to the waiting room that was indeed full of people in all stages of illness and fragility.

"But I need to talk to Monica Quartermaine _stat!_ It's important. It cannot wait."

"I am sorry, Dr. Quartermaine is in surgery –"

"Well pull her out of there. This can't wait. She has a traitorous bi – I mean, staff member working here and the patients could all very well be in grave danger!"

Regina studied Maxie closely. "I can give her the message if you just –"

"That won't be necessary, Nurse Thompson," a familiar, brusque voice said from behind her. "I can handle this."

Maxie shook her head as Matt suddenly grasped her by the arm and pulled her down the hall. "Dammit, Matt, let me go. I'll scream! I'll scream bloody murder and then everyone will come running and then I'll tell them exactly what little Nurse Webber is up to and –"

Matt continued pulling her down the hallway and finally they ended up in a small exam room. Matt pushed her inside and shut the door after them. She tried to jump around him but he held her firmly in place.

"Maxie, I know, I know you're mad and hurt and –"

"Damn right I am!"

He sighed. "But that still doesn't give you the right to come to Elizabeth's and my place of employment and start raising hell."

Maxie sniffed. "I am doing the public a service by outing Elizabeth as the lying bitch she is!"

Matt shook his head. "I am sorry that you're hurting right now but what is ratting on Elizabeth about some imagined wrong going to accomplish?"

Maxie shook her head. "'Imagined wrong'? Are you kidding me, Matt? She has done plenty of 'wrong' to me and –" She shot up a hand to stop him before he could interrupt. "Yeah I did some pretty rotten things to her too but I've admitted all of them and yet everyone held them over my head for years. When does she have to pay for _her_ sins?"

"She didn't do anything to intentionally hurt you. Neither did I for that matter. We just, we fell –"

"Don't say it, Matt! Don't say you're in love with her because I don't want to hear it. Besides, you're not. What you are is a man so of course you're going to take the cheap whore to bed if she's offering. But you don't love her. You don't. You can't because you love me. Deep down, you know that you do."

Matt rubbed his grizzly beard. "I do love you, Maxie, but I'm –"

"Please, please don't say it…"

Matt reached out and grasped her by the shoulders. "I am being honest with you here like I should have been all along. I love you, Maxie, but I'm _in_ love with Elizabeth."

Maxie shook her head vehemently, her flaxen hair whipping her across the face in the process. "No. No way in hell, Matt."

"It's true. We didn't set out to hurt you but –"

"But you did. You totally did. Fuck you, Matt Hunter!" She shoved past him then and he sighed.

"Maxie, be mad at me, take it out on me, please, but not Elizabeth. She's pregnant."

"Oh I know, don't I know it? You made that perfectly clear before. You want your pregnant bitch so badly? Have her. I am done with you. And her. You're right – I am not going to bother ratting out Elizabeth because neither of you are worth it!"

XoXoXo

She made it back to the waiting room before she was collapsing into a chair. She had never thought of herself as weak but at that moment, she couldn't bring herself to keep walking. She was hurting far too much. Every little revenge scheme she thought of didn't seem harsh enough of a punishment for the two people who had betrayed her so badly. And then there was Spinelli. He didn't want her either. Damn them all!

Big, fat, pathetic tears rolled down her face as she sat there, her knees fairly knocking together as she tried willing herself not to be a crybaby loser. But it wasn't working.

She dabbed at her eyes but it was no use. They just kept spilling over. She had lost her man tonight, her best friend and almost husband Spinelli, and had nearly killed someone to boot. Hell, maybe that poor guy was already dead. On top of everything, she would be going to prison for manslaughter as Mac had put it.

"Maxie," a voice called her from across the room. She looked up to see none other than Mac approaching her, concern etched on his face.

"Maxie, what's wrong?" Her adoptive father asked as he slid into the chair next to her. "Is this about the accident or something else?"

She could tell him the truth. She could tell him everything but as much as she wanted to run Elizabeth's "saintly" reputation through the mud, she suddenly didn't have the words. For someone who was accused of being a Chatty Cathy or whatever she just couldn't speak. She just rested her head on Mac's shoulder and cried into his shirt.

"Maxie, whatever's bothering you… Come on. Talk to me."

Maxie couldn't find the words. "Alright, I'll talk then," Mac said. "The guy you hit with your car– he just got out of surgery. Matt performed it actually. He thinks the guy will be just fine though I am told he is still unconscious in recovery."

Maxie cringed. So Matt had saved her victim unknowingly. Probably if he had known the truth, he would have let the guy die on the table just to spite her…

Okay, maybe that wasn't true but she was so upset. She wasn't even really thinking clearly anymore. All she knew was that she had to get to her victim's room and the moment he woke up, she had try to convince him not to press charges.

Maxie finally found her voice. "What room is – what room is the guy in?"

"451," Mac said. "But I want you to leave him alone, okay? He took a beating tonight –"

"Because of me," Maxie said sorrowfully. "Everything I do always gets so messed up somehow."

"That's not true, Maxie."

"Yes it is. Let's just be frank here, Mac. I am a royal screw up and it's no wonder everyone hates me."

"No one hates you."

"Yeah right," Maxie said and then straightened. "Look I need to use the restroom."

"You're not going to bother our John Doe…"

"His name is John?" Maxie said.

"Actually we don't know his name or why he was on the road tonight or where he even came from. We'll have to ask when he wakes up."

"Oh okay…" Maxie said. "And of course I'm not going to bother him. Like I want to admit to anyone what I did."

She kissed Mac's cheek and then stood on still wobbly knees, headed for the restroom. She felt Mac's eyes following her suspiciously so she went into the ladies' room and then poked her head out again. Mac was no longer watching her but was now talking to Patrick. Good. Maxie could finally confront the man she had run down. She wasn't ready to go to prison – not for someone she didn't even know. She would make him see it was an accident. She would.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_**Well Maxie and Cole officially meet. I hope this is okay. Feedback please.**_ :)

**Chapter 4**

Maxie took a long, deep breath as she paused in front of the door to John Doe's room. So far nothing, but nothing, had gone right for her in the past twenty-four hours and she was honestly afraid this guy was going to have the book thrown at her for mowing him down. But in the end, she promised herself she wasn't going to let that happen.

She sighed and put her hand on the door. "Wakey, wakey, Mr. Doe," she said as she pushed back the door. "We need to talk and-" She broke off as she zeroed in on the guy. He was trying to crawl out of bed and was grunting with the pain of exertion. His brown eyes shot to hers and he looked angry.

"Who are you?" He barked out.

"Uh, Maxie, Maxie Jones," she said as she watched him wrestling with the covers as if they were made of steel rather than cheap cotton. "I came to talk to you."

"I don't feel like talking," he said darkly. He finally succeeded in getting free of the blankets and tossed one leg over the side of the bed. He weaved in place and Maxie was cut with indecision.

"Do you need help? I could call someone in here."

"No!" He practically bellowed. "Just leave me alone." He caught himself on the edge of the bed and looked around. "My crutches, where are my crutches?"

"Let me help you look," Maxie found herself offering.

"You're still here?" The guy said with a roll of his eyes. "You're obviously not on staff here so why are you bugging me?"

"Why would you assume that? I could be a doctor." The guy raised an eyebrow at her. "A nurse…." He shook his head. "An orderly?" He rolled his eyes. "Okay fine I am none of the above, Mr. Know it All, but I have spent enough time in hospitals to know how things work. Somewhat anyway. I do know the doctors need to know you're awake and breathing."

"I don't want them to know that," he said. "I am getting the hell out of here." Determination was in his eyes as he scouted around for his crutches. Maxie spotted them first. They were tucked against a corner at the far side of the room.

"Found them!" She crowed and brought them over to John Doe. She handed them to her and he fairly yanked them from her hand. "Impatient much?" She said with a roll of her eyes.

"Why are you still here bugging me?" He asked. "Never mind. I just need to get out of here and see Hope."

"Hope, so that is a person?" Maxie asked. "You kept saying that name over and over when I found you and –" She broke off as she saw the anger in his eyes, the recognition. He had the most expressive eyes she had ever seen and it was frightening how easy it was to read the emotion in them. He clearly was not happy with her.

"Wait. You're the one huh? You're the one who ran me down like a dog in the road?"

"You make it all sound so much more sinister than it really was. And hey you were jaywalking!" She snapped out.

"You had to have seen me coming," the guy snapped back. "I can't move very fast on my crutches and now thanks to you I am even slower than before."

"You are angry, okay I get that, but you're not angry enough to say… press charges … Are you?"

"Hell yes I am but –" He broke off for a moment, thinking about something. "But I won't do that if you help me get of here."

"Right now?"

"Yeah right now," he said.

"But you're all broken and bruised up," she said. "You need medical care."

"I need to get of here. Hope needs me."

"Who is Hope?" Maxie asked.

"My daughter."

"Oh…"

He tucked the crutches under his arms. "Now find me something to change into because I am leaving one way or another."

"Alright, fine. I'll be right back." She headed for the door.

"Don't tell anyone I'm awake," the guy hissed at her in a low voice.

Maxie looked back at him and rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever you want.. Cranky." She then slipped out the door and shut it behind her.

She looked both ways before zipping down the hall towards the linen closet. She yanked it open and sighed, memories immediately assailing her. Matt had taken her right against that wall… She hurt inside so badly thinking of it but she refused to give into the need to cry again. She would never cry over Matt Hunter again, she vowed.

She found a pair of scrubs sitting on a shelf and hoped they would fit her John Doe. Maxie was very curious about the guy and why he was so against seeing any medical staff. She mused, maybe he was a Jehovah's Witness or something.

She tucked the scrubs under her blouse and slipped out of the linen closet and back down the hall. She opened the door to find John Doe was yanking his hospital gown off. "Oh jeez, warn a girl," she snapped as he moved into the room and he dropped the thin material to the floor. She averted her eyes as she moved over to him and handed him the scrubs. He had a nice body from the flash she had seen of it but wasn't in the habit of staring at strange, naked men. And this guy was definitely beyond strange.

"You could have knocked," he said. He struggled to keep standing while trying to slide on the scrub top. He cursed in frustration and looked over at her. "A little help please."

"What – me? Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Unless you want me to press charges."

Maxie glared at him. "Oh now you're just blackmailing me," she spat but finally sighed and moved over to him. He passed her the shirt and dropped the crutches on the ground. He then dropped heavily onto the bed and held up his arms. It looked like he was struggling to keep them raised so Maxie tried to be quick about sliding the material down his lean arms but her fingers snagged in the material of the left sleeve.

"Watch it!"

"Excuse me," she said, "but I haven't dressed anyone but myself in a really long time." She adjusted the scrub top but ended up having to step between his long legs to get closer. Her breasts were practically in his face and she barked out a warning for him to look away or lose something vital. He immediately turned away.

She finally stepped back. "There."

"The pants too," John Doe said pointedly. She rolled her eyes at him but finally got to the floor and began helping him slide on the pants. It took a bit of effort but finally she bunched them up to his knees. His left leg had a long jagged scar on it that she hoped hadn't happened when she ran him down.

"You do the rest," she demanded and he sighed and lifted himself off the bed as much as he could to slide the pants over his bottom. Finally he was dressed and reached for his crutches again.

"Are you sure you want to leave without seeing a doctor?" Maxie asked. "I mean what's the hurry? It's not like you're on the run from the law or anything …" Her eyes went wide as she thought everything over. His suspicious behavior screamed out to her now. "Ohmigod! You are. You are an escaped convict!"

He didn't answer, just looked away.

"I am going to tell my Dad right now! I mean I should. He's a cop. He has the right to throw you back in prison where you came from …"

"You do that and I will press charges," the guy warned. "Now help me out of here."

Maxie shook her head. "Mac would never forgive me and –"

"Okay let's talk to the cops then. I mean, what's the worst that can happen? You go to prison for attempting to kill me…."

"It was an accident!"

"We'll let the jury decide that …" He let his voice trail off but the threat was very clearly dangling in the air between them. Finally, he sighed. "Look, please help me out of here. I just want to see my daughter. It's been eight months since I saw her last. I've fought like hell to come home to her so please … please help me here."

Maxie knew all the reasons she should refuse him but she nodded. "Fine I'll get you out of here. Besides, it's not like you're not the first guy on the run I've smuggled off into the night."

He looked at her strangely. "Alright so we're going then?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "Anyway what's your name?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does to me. If I'm going to risk aiding and abetting someone, I want to know his name. Your real name," she said pointedly.

He sighed. "It's Cole."

"Cole what?"

He shook his head. "That's all you need to know. Now let's go before we get caught."

"Fine, fine," she said rolling her eyes at him. "But as soon as I get you out of the hospital, you're on your own."

"Fine!" he snapped. "Let's just hurry up here."

"Impatient much?" She asked but still, she headed out to find him a wheel chair.

All Maxie could hope was that they didn't get caught.


End file.
